FRANCE: The French government yesterday urged sceptical voters to back the European Union constitution for the sake of national interest and the good of the 25-member bloc.
The plea by prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin came on the same day as two opinion polls showed a majority of people plan to reject the treaty in a May 29th referendum, but that the No camp's lead over the Yes campaign has narrowed.
Nine successive surveys have now shown more than 50 per cent of voters oppose the treaty.
This is mainly because of discontent with the government's economic and social policies, raising the prospect of France rejecting the charter and plunging the EU into crisis.
"A referendum on Europe is not a plebiscite. It is not, and should not become, a motion of confidence or a motion of censure," Mr Raffarin said during a parliamentary debate.
"France needs Europe, but Europe needs a Yes from France."
As the government battled to swing public opinion, there were some small crumbs of comfort in the latest polls.
A survey by the CSA polling group showed 53 per cent of respondents would vote against a constitution that is intended to simplify decision-making in the EU following its enlargement in May 2004. It found 47 per cent would vote for it.
The poll of 865 people of voting age, published in Le Parisien newspaper, was conducted on March 30th and 31st.
A similar CSA poll carried out a week earlier showed 55 per cent of voters would oppose the constitution and 45 per cent would back it.
A second poll, which was published in Le Figaro newspaper, also showed the No camp losing momentum.
The survey of 947 people by the Ipsos research group, conducted on April 1st and 2nd, found 52 per cent of respondents would oppose the constitution and 48 per cent would support it.
A previous Ipsos poll a week ago showed 54 per cent of voters would oppose the charter and 46 per cent would back it.
Pierre Giacometti, head of Ipsos, said support for the constitution had steadied among supporters of President Jacques Chirac's centre-right UMP party. Previous polls had pointed to a slight fall among his party's voters.
But opposition among left-wing voters remained firm, Mr Giacometti said, even though the leadership of the opposition Socialist Party broadly supported the constitution. - (Reuters)